Malaysia Seeks Interpol Help to Arrest Suspect in Banker’s Slaying

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — Malaysian police have identified a businessman they allege ordered a high-profile shooting that left a veteran banker dead on the streets of Kuala Lumpur more than two months ago.

Associated Press

Malaysian forensic police officers on July 29 investigate the shooting death of Hussain Ahmad Najadi, a Bahrain-born banker who founded Malaysia’s fifth-largest bank in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

A spike in violent crimes has hit the generally peaceful Southeast Asian country, but the public was particularly rattled by the slaying of Bahrain-born Hussain Ahmad Najadi on July 29. Mr. Hussain founded Arab Malaysian Development Bank Bhd in 1976, which morphed into AMMB Holdings Bhd, now the fifth-largest bank in Malaysia by assets.

Police said their suspect is Lim Yuen Soo, a 53-year old owner of entertainment outlets. Police say they believe he fled to Australia in the days after Mr. Hussain’s shooting. Mr. Hussain’s Malaysian wife was also shot, but survived.

Advertisement

An attempt to find a lawyer representing Mr. Lim was not successful.

Mr. Lim was earlier given a week to surrender himself, says Kuala Lumpur Police Chief Mohmad Salleh, but failed to turn up by the deadline.

“We have asked the assistance of Interpol to arrest the suspect, and we have extradition treaty with Australia,” Mr. Mohmad said at a news conference.

The police allege the motive appears to have been a business deal that went sour. The police had earlier arrested the alleged assassin, partly thanks to a tip off from the public. Two other men suspected of harboring that man have also been detained.

Prior to his death, Mr. Hussain ran AIAK Group, which offers advice services about cross-border mergers and acquisitions, mostly to clients based in Malaysia and the Persian Gulf region. He sold his shares and exited the bank in 1982.

Cases of violent crime have risen to 15,098 in the first half of 2013, compared to 14,811 at the six-month mark in 2012. In the first six months of this year, 322 people were killed. That’s up from 291 murders in same period last year.

Under Malaysian law, a person convicted of murder can face the death penalty.

About Southeast Asia Real Time

Indonesia Real Time provides analysis and insight into the region, which includes Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos and Brunei. Contact the editors at SEAsia@wsj.com.

Islamic State is providing “fresh oxygen” to extremist groups in Muslim-majority Indonesia, says a police official. What impact could the group known as ISIS have on Indonesia? And how is the government working to curb the danger? Here’s the short answer.